E-cigarette Ads Research Articles

Effect of brand and advertising medium on demand for e-cigarettes: Evidence from an experimental auction.

Print and television advertisements for e-cigarettes are currently legal in the United States. Given that e-cigarettes are a lower-risk alternative to cigarettes, these ads could have a positive public health impact if they motivate smokers to switch to e-cigarettes. However, the public health impact of e-cigarette ads could be negative if ads increase demand for both e-cigarettes and cigarettes. We use experimental auctions –in which participants bid in real auctions and winners pay for the items they purchase – to study the effect of print and TV e-cigarettes ads on demand for the brand from the ad, for another e-cigarettes brand, and for cigarettes. We ran experiments with 288 Pennsylvania smokers in November 2014–March 2015 and we found that in cases where an ad affects demand for e-cigarettes, the ad moves demand for cigarettes in the same direction. For example, the Blu print ad increases demand for Blu e-cigarettes and cigarettes among non-white participants. The Vuse TV ad reduces demand for both types of e-cigarettes and for cigarettes. We also find that non-white participants are willing to pay more for e-cigarettes in the absence of advertising, and that smokers who worry most about their health are willing to pay more for e-cigarettes. The results of this study point to the need for greater scrutiny of advertising for e-cigarette products such that they do not also induce demand for tobacco cigarettes.

Correlates of e-cigarette ad awareness and likeability in U.S. young adults

BackgroundAwareness and use of electronic cigarettes has rapidly increased among U.S. adults. The aim of this study was to examine awareness and likeability of e-cigarette print advertisements in a national sample of young adults and to examine ad likeability as a correlate of intended e-cigarette use among never e-cigarette users.MethodsParticipants (n = 2110, unweighted) of the Truth Initiative Young Adult Cohort (January 2013) were randomized to see four print ads (blu, Fin, NJOY, and White Cloud). Bivariate analyses provided descriptive characteristics of all participants and multivariable logistic regression examined the relationships between the average likeability score (across all four ads), curiosity about e-cigarettes, and susceptibility to using e-cigarettes among respondents who had never used e-cigarettes.ResultsNearly 20% of participants reported awareness of the blu ad. Of the four e-cigarette ads, likeability was highest for the NJOY ad. Participants with higher ad likeability ratings had more than twice the odds of being curious to try an e-cigarette (AOR 2.33; 95% CI 1.84–2.95), try an e-cigarette soon (AOR 2.93; 95% CI 1.96–4.38), and try an e-cigarette if offered by best friend (AOR 2.48; 95% CI 1.95–3.15), after adjusting for other covariates. Current cigarette use was the strongest correlate of susceptibility to using an e-cigarette (p < .01) in the multivariable models.ConclusionsHigher ad likeability was correlated with greater susceptibility to try an e-cigarette among U.S. young adults. Future studies are needed to monitor how awareness and likeability of e-cigarette advertising influence patterns of e-cigarette and other tobacco use in young people.

Associations of attitudes towards electronic cigarettes with advertisement exposure and social determinants: a cross sectional study

BackgroundThe exposure of young adults to electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) advertisements has risen rapidly. E-cigarette ads have been shown to increase short term perceived acceptability of using e-cigarettes in places where traditional cigarettes are banned. We set out to investigate if advertising exposure was related to perceptions of harm, addictiveness, and acceptability of use of e-cigarettes in places where traditional cigarettes are banned.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, 6037 students at a large Midwestern university between the ages of 18–24 were surveyed about e-cigarette use and smoking status. Bivariate analyses were performed associating perception of harm, addictiveness, and acceptability of e-cigarette use in places where smoking is banned with demographic and other background factors, and e-cigarette advertising exposure through different media channels. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore the relationship of these factors on perceptions of harm, addictiveness and acceptability of e-cigarette use in places where smoking is banned.ResultsMore than a quarter (27.4%) of respondents had used an e-cigarette, greater than half (53.2%) had seen an advertisement on TV and 42.0% had seen an advertisement on the Internet. Logistic regressions revealed that being white, male, an e-cigarette user, a smoker, having a mother who smoked, and Internet advertisement exposure were associated with lower perceived harm of e-cigarettes. The same factors, plus having seen advertisements on TV, were associated with increased likelihood of perceiving e-cigarette use in bars, stores, at work and in a dorm as acceptable. Perceiving use of e-cigarettes as acceptable in classrooms was also associated with the aforementioned factors and also included race. Only being male and an e-cigarette user were associated with lower perceived addictiveness of e-cigarettes.ConclusionsE-cigarette use is increasing in adolescents and young adults, as is exposure to e-cigarette advertising. Independent of nicotine use and demographics factors, e-cigarette advertising is associated with increased beliefs in acceptability of e-cigarette use in places where cigarettes are banned. E-cigarette advertisements may be responsible for normalizing e-cigarette use. Exposure to internet e-cigarette advertisements was associated with lower perceived harm; this may be due to the false health claims often made in internet advertisements.

Youth-Targeted E-cigarette Marketing in the US.

The purpose of this project was to explore the extent to which e-cigarette advertisements use youth-appealing content. A sample of e-cigarette video ads (N = 154) were coded by 3 independent coders using the content appealing to youth (CAY) index, which measures over 40 youth-appealing features. To calculate a total CAY score for each ad, scores were normalized and summed such that a higher score represented the presence of more youth-appealing elements. All ads included some youth-appealing content, with frequent use of emotional appeals, including happiness (68%), friendship (41%), sex (24%), and success (24%). Over half featured animation. However, product appeals, known to be disliked by youth, were also prevalent. Eighty-seven percent used a direct appeal to e-cigarettes' value over tobacco cigarettes; 66% mentioned product composition; and 40% mentioned health. Given the unregulated context in the US, e-cigarette marketing currently contains many features that may be particularly appealing to youth.

Vaping to lose weight: Predictors of adult e-cigarette use for weight loss or control

IntroductionSome traditional cigarette smokers are motivated to smoke to lose weight or control their weight. The current study evaluated whether a subset of adult e-cigarette users reported vaping to lose or control their weight and examined potential predictors of vaping for weight management. MethodsAdult e-cigarette users (n=459) who reported wanting to lose weight or maintain their weight completed an anonymous online survey. Participants reported on demographics, vaping frequency, e-cigarette nicotine content, cigarette smoking status, preferred e-cigarette/e-liquid flavors, current weight status (i.e., overweight, underweight), use of dieting strategies associated with anorexia and bulimia, lifetime history of binge eating, self-discipline, and impulse control. Binary logistic regression was used to examine whether vaping for weight loss/control was associated with the aforementioned variables. ResultsParticipants who reported vaping for weight loss/control (13.5%) were more likely to vape frequently (adjOR=1.15; 95% CI [1.00, 1.31]); be overweight (adjOR=2.80; [1.33, 5.90]); restrict calories (adjOR=2.23; [1.13, 4.42]); have poor impulse control (adjOR=0.59; [0.41, 0.86]); and prefer coffee- (adjOR=2.92; [1.47, 5.80]) or vanilla-flavored e-liquid (adjOR=7.44; [1.56, 36.08]). ConclusionsA subset of adult e-cigarette users reported vaping for weight loss/control, raising concerns about expanded, scientifically unsubstantiated uses of e-cigarettes. Identifying where individuals obtain information about vaping for weight loss (e.g., e-cigarette ads, Internet) and whether weight-related motives promote e-cigarette initiation among e-cigarette naïve individuals is important to informing regulatory efforts. Further research also is needed to better understand the link between e-liquid flavors and weight loss motivations.

Exposure to Advertisements and Susceptibility to Electronic Cigarette Use Among Youth

PurposeDespite the rapid increase in e-cigarette use among youth, little is known about the social and behavioral factors that have contributed to this rise. We investigated whether young e-cigarette users are susceptible to e-cigarette advertisements. MethodsEstimates of e-cigarette use and exposure to e-cigarette advertisements from the 2014 National Young Tobacco Survey were investigated. Factors associated with the prevalence and levels of e-cigarette use were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. ResultsOf all respondents (n = 21,491), 19.8% had tried e-cigarettes and 9.4% were current e-cigarette users. Exposure to e-cigarette ads was prevalent among youth, with 38.6%/29.6%/53.2%/35.4% having medium to high exposure to e-cigarette ads from the Internet/newspapers/stores/TV, respectively. Current use of e-cigarettes among youth was associated with frequent exposure (high vs. low) to e-cigarette advertising from the Internet (odd ratio [OR] = 3.1, p < .0001), newspapers/magazines (OR = 2.5, p < .0001), stores (OR = 2.8, p < .0001), and TV/movies (OR = 2.1, p < .0001). In the multivariate analysis that joint analyzed four advertisement channels and covariates, greater exposure to e-cigarette ads on the Internet (adjusted OR = 1.9, p < .0001) and in retail stores (adjusted OR = 1.9, p < .0001) remained to be significantly associated with increased odds of using e-cigarettes. Vaping by other household members significantly increased the risk of adolescent e-cigarette use (OR = 8.7, p < .0001). ConclusionsExposure to e-cigarette ads significantly increased susceptibility to e-cigarette use among adolescents. E-cigarette advertising regulations and educational campaigns are critically needed.

The Effect of Comparatively-Framed versus Similarity-Framed E-Cigarette and Snus Print Ads on Young Adults' Ad and Product Perceptions.

This study examined the effects of comparative-framing [C-F; ads highlighting differences between the advertised product and conventional cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco products] versus similarity-framing (S-F; ads highlighting congruence with conventional cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco products) in e-cigarette and snus ads on young adult smokers' and non-smokers' ad- and product-related perceptions. One thousand fifty one (1,051) young adults (18-24 years; 76% women; 50% smokers) from existing consumer panels were recruited in a within-subjects quasi-experiment. Each participant viewed 4 online advertisements, varied by tobacco product type (e-cigarette or snus) and ad framing (C-F or S-F). The dependent measures for this study were ad-related (ad perceptions, ad credibility) and product-related perceptions (absolute and comparative risk perceptions, product appeal, and product use intentions). Former and current smokers rated C-F ads as more persuasive than S-F ads, as evidenced by favorable ad perceptions and high product use intentions. Former and current smokers also rated e-cigarette ads with more favorable ad perceptions, low absolute and comparative risk perceptions, high product appeal, and high product use intentions as compared to snus ads. However, the effect sizes of the significant differences are less than.2, indicating small magnitude of difference between the study variables. Unless FDA regulates e-cig and snus advertising, there is a potential of decreasing risk perceptions and increasing use of e-cigs among young adults. Further research on implicit/explicit comparative claims in e-cigarettes and snus advertisements that encourage risk misperceptions is recommended.

Smokers' and E-Cigarette Users' Perceptions about E-Cigarette Warning Statements.

Cigarette warning labels are important sources of risk information, but warning research for other tobacco products is limited. This study aimed to gauge perceptions about warnings that may be used for e-cigarettes. We conducted six small focus groups in late 2014/early 2015 with adult current e-cigarette users and cigarette-only smokers. Participants rated and discussed their perceptions of six e-cigarette warning statements, and warnings in two existing Vuse and MarkTen e-cigarette ads. Participants were open to e-cigarette warnings and provided the strongest reactions to statements warning that e-liquid/e-vapor or e-cigarettes can be poisonous, contain toxins, or are “not a safe alternative to smoking”. However, many also noted that these statements were exaggerated, potentially misleading, and could scare smokers away from reducing their harm by switching to e-cigarettes. Opinions on the Food and Drug Administration’s proposed nicotine addiction warning and warnings that e-cigarettes had not been approved for smoking cessation or had unknown health effects were mixed. Participants perceived MarkTen’s advertisement warning to be stronger and more noticeable than Vuse’s. Care should be taken in developing e-cigarette warnings given their relative recentness and potential for harm reduction compared to other tobacco products. Additional research, including with varied audiences, would be instructive.

E-cigarette advertising exposure and implicit attitudes among young adult non-smokers

BackgroundThis study tested whether exposure to e-cigarette advertising affects the subliminal—spontaneous or automatic—attitudes towards e-cigarettes as a more pleasant or safer alternative to cigarettes among non-smoking young adults. Methods187 young adult (mean age=21.9; SD=4.1) current non-smokers who had never used an e-cigarette were randomly assigned to one of the 3 conditions that involved viewing magazine advertisements. Two of the 3 conditions were experimental conditions where thematically different [harm-reduction (“Health”) vs. social enhancement (“Social”) focused] e-cigarette ads were interspersed among ads of everyday objects. The third condition was the control condition in which participants viewed ads of everyday objects only. Participants provided data on explicit (e.g., harm perceptions) and implicit [e.g., Implicit Association Test (IAT), Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP)] measures after viewing the ads. ResultsRelative to the Control condition, participants in the Social condition showed 2.8 times higher odds of being open to using an e-cigarette in the future. Participants in the Health condition showed significantly higher implicit attitudes towards e-cigarettes as a safer alternative to cigarettes than participants in the Control condition. E-cigarette stimuli elicited more positive spontaneous affective reactions among participants in the Social condition than participants in the Health condition. ConclusionsE-cigarette ads may implicitly promote e-cigarettes as a reduced-harm cigarette alternative. Marketing of e-cigarette use as a way to enhance social life or self-image may encourage non-smoking young adults to try e-cigarettes. Findings may inform regulations on e-cigarette marketing.

Impact of Exposure to Electronic Cigarette Advertising on Susceptibility and Trial of Electronic Cigarettes and Cigarettes in US Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study assessed the impact of brief exposure to four electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) print advertisements (ads) on perceptions, intention, and subsequent use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes in US young adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a national sample of young adults from an online panel survey in 2013. Participants were randomized to ad exposure or control. Curiosity, intentions, and perceptions regarding e-cigarettes were assessed post-exposure and e-cigarette and cigarette use at 6-month follow-up. Analyses were conducted in 2014. Approximately 6% of young adults who had never used an e-cigarette at baseline tried an e-cigarette at 6-month follow-up, half of whom were current cigarette smokers at baseline. Compared to the control group, ad exposure was associated with greater curiosity to try an e-cigarette (18.3% exposed vs. 11.3% unexposed, AOR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.18, 2.26) among never e-cigarette users and greater likelihood of e-cigarette trial at follow-up (3.6% exposed vs. 1.2% unexposed, AOR = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.07, 7.61) among never users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Exploratory analyses did not find an association between ad exposure and cigarette trial or past 30-day use among never users, nor cigarette use among smokers over time. Curiosity mediated the relationship between ad exposure and e-cigarette trial among e-cigarette never users. Exposure to e-cigarette ads may enhance curiosity and limited trial of e-cigarettes in never users. Future studies are needed to examine the net effect of curiosity and trial of e-cigarettes on longer-term patterns of tobacco use. This randomized trial provides the first evidence of the effect of e-cigarette advertising on a behavioral outcome in young adults. Compared to the control group, ad exposure was associated with greater curiosity to try an e-cigarette among never e-cigarette users and greater likelihood of e-cigarette trial at follow-up in a small number of never e-cigarette users and greater likelihood of e-cigarette trial at follow-up among never users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

A New Area to Fight: Electronic Cigarette

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) is spreading like an epidemic that threatens the public health. Last one year, e-cigarette use increased by 2 times in both adults and children, and just as the cigarette ads of 1950s and 1960s, e-cigarette ads are taking place in the television, radio, internet, magazines and in the all kinds of advertising media. E-sigara should be recognized as a serious health threat, and should be fought against it. The aim of this review is to show the effects of e-cigarette on health by the scientific evidences.

Content Analysis of Trends in Print Magazine Tobacco Advertisements.

To provide a descriptive and comparative content analysis of tobacco print magazine ads, with a focus on rhetorical and persuasive themes. Print tobacco ads for cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, moist snuff, and snus (N = 171) were content analyzed for the physical composition/ad format (e.g., size of ad, image, setting, branding, warning label) and the content of the ad (e.g., rhetorical themes, persuasive themes). The theme of pathos (that elicits an emotional response) was most frequently utilized for cigarette (61%), cigar (50%), and moist snuff (50%) ads, and the theme of logos (use of logic or facts to support position) was most frequently used for e-cigarette (85%) ads. Additionally, comparative claims were most frequently used for snus (e.g., "spit-free," "smoke-free") and e-cigarette ads (e.g., "no tobacco smoke, only vapor," "no odor, no ash"). Comparative claims were also used in cigarette ads, primarily to highlight availability in different flavors (e.g., "bold," "menthol"). This study has implications for tobacco product marketing regulation, particularly around limiting tobacco advertising in publications with a large youth readership and prohibiting false or misleading labels, labeling, and advertising for tobacco products, such as modified risk (unless approved by the FDA) or therapeutic claims.

Associations between perceptions of e-cigarette advertising and interest in product trial amongst US adult smokers and non-smokers: results from an internet-based pilot survey.

BackgroundElectronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have risen in popularity in the U.S. While recent studies have described the prevalence and demographics of e-cigarette users, few studies have evaluated the impact of advertising on perceptions and interest in trial. This pilot study was conducted to assess whether exposure to ads for e-cigarettes or a comparison product (snus), elicited differences in interest to try e-cigarettes between smokers and non-smokers.MethodsA web-based survey was completed by 600 respondents, aged 18–65, recruited from an internet panel in the U.S. Respondents answered questions assessing tobacco use, and then viewed nine magazine ads for Blu e-cigarettes or Camel snus, a low-nitrosamine smokeless tobacco product, in random order. After viewing each ad, respondents were asked a series of questions about their perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and interest in trial. At the end, respondents were asked to choose a free sample product from the following options: an e-cigarette, smokeless tobacco (SLT), pack of cigarettes, or no product.ResultsAd receptivity scores did not appear to be influenced by ad theme; differences existed between smokers and non-smokers. Participants exposed to e-cigarette ads more frequently reported favorable product attitudes compared to participants exposed to snus ads. Cigarette smokers in the e-cigarette condition were more likely to report interest in trying e-cigarettes compared to non-smokers in that condition (p-value < 0.001). Six percent of non-smokers exposed to e-cigarette ads reported interest in trying e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes were the most popular product selected to sample (34 %), followed by cigarettes (8 %) and SLT (3 %); 331 respondents (55 %) chose no product. Participants randomized to the e-cigarette ad group were significantly more likely to choose an e-cigarette at product selection (p-value = 0.014). Within the e-cigarette condition, 71 % of smokers selected an e-cigarette at product selection, compared to 25 % of non-smokers; smoking status was significantly associated with sample product selection (p-value <0.001).ConclusionsThese findings suggest that exposure to e-cigarette ads may be associated with interest in e-cigarette trial, particularly among smokers. Continued exposure to advertising in magazines, on television, and at the point-of-sale may have an impact on willingness to receive promotional products or intention to try e-cigarettes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12971-015-0039-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Teen tobacco use: research and regulatory gaps.

Teen tobacco use: research and regulatory gaps.

Noncombustible Tobacco Product Advertising: How Companies Are Selling the New Face of Tobacco

With declining cigarette sales, increasing restrictions, and recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation of cigarettes, there has been a dramatic rise in the marketing of noncombustible tobacco products (NCPs). However, little is known about how NCPs are advertised and to whom. Two full-service advertising firms were used to systematically collect all U.S. advertisements for NCPs (e-cigarettes, snus, dissolvables, and chew/dip/snuff,) running between June 1 and September 1, 2012. The advertisement and associated metadata (brand, media channel, observations, spend, and estimated reach) were examined. Attributes of print advertisements were examined relative to target demographics of the publications in which they ran. Over 3 months, almost $20 million was spent advertising NCPs. Although the greatest amount spent was on the promotion of smokeless (~$8 million) and snus (~$10 million), e-cigarette advertisements were the most widely circulated. Print advertisements, the majority of which were e-cigarettes and chew/dip/snuff, were heavily tailored to middle-aged White males. Many e-cigarette print ads suggested harm reduction and use when one cannot smoke (poly-use), while chew/dip/snuff focused on masculinity. Robust ongoing surveillance of NCP advertising is critical to inform the FDA and to protect public health. Both commercial advertising and public health media campaigns must ensure that content is not misleading and that it educates consumers about harm based on the available science. The way messages are framed have the potential to decrease tobacco use by promoting rather than undermining cessation of combusted products and/or by encouraging exclusive use of less harmful NCPs rather than poly-use of combusted and NCPs.